


numbers

by nobodysusername



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Fluff, M/M, super self-indulgent bullshit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-20
Updated: 2014-04-20
Packaged: 2018-01-20 03:35:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1495081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nobodysusername/pseuds/nobodysusername
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve's list, and how he goes about checking off different things on it. (With Bucky, every time.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	numbers

**Author's Note:**

> This is such self-indulgent crap. I don't even care.

11\. Wicked (the musical, not the book)

This one had been from Bruce, Steve’s fairly certain. Stark pays for the tickets, as well as the flight to New York to see it on Broadway, and Steve’s confident it means he’ll owe the guy but he doesn’t mind because the musical is making Bucky outright _smile_ , eyes wide and alive with anticipation at each new scene and song number. It’s something he hasn’t seen in decades, literally almost a century, and no amount of favors owed to Stark could make up for the pricelessness of seeing that beauty again.

6\. Thai food

The whole team decides to get take out together one night after a group training exercise in this absurd tech room designed by a guy named Charles Xavier. Natasha insists that Steve invite Bucky, too, and so his best friend tags along for the meal where the group take turns interrogating him about Steve’s life pre-serum. Somehow, Bucky manages to procure a few pictures from the pockets of his worn jeans, holding them close between delicately pinched metal fingers. SHIELD may be dismantled— _temporarily_ —but the Avengers aren’t, and all of them seem to give Bucky their approval by the end of the night. (Not that Steve needed it, but he checks it as a plus.)

56\. Same-sex marriage

Clint is the one who waves his hand and taps on Steve’s notepad frantically with the insistence that he jot it down. He finds his best friend reading the list one day, sitting cross-legged on the floor in Steve’s apartment, human fingers skimming along the thin, lined paper as his eyes go over the many things he has to learn because he wasn’t around to _remember_. His fingers are poised over number fifty-six on the list, and his eyes are glassy with tears. Steve pretends not to see, stooping to tap Bucky on the shoulder gently. “Star Wars is on TV,” he says softly, tilting his head back to indicate the living room television. “It’s on the list, isn’t it?” Bucky blinks rapidly, nods. Hoarsely, he answers, “It’s number seven.”

21\. Pop Tarts

“This one was from Thor,” Steve informs Bucky fondly, lifting up the small cardboard container of breakfast pastries. “Apparently you can toast them and eat them, but you don’t have to. Do you have a preference?” Bucky shakes his head, smiling softly at Steve in a way similar to how they used to smile at each other when they had sleepovers outside, under constellations. He looks nicer, now that his hair’s been cut and his face isn’t a stern mask of hatred. He looks the way he used to, almost. Not that it matters too much to Steve, who’ll always love his best friend, hair and limbs and memory aside. Steve shrugs back, “suit yourself.” He opens the box and hands Bucky a shiny packet with—supposedly—toaster pastries inside, then takes one for himself. He tears the wrapping and takes one out, biting it tentatively. It’s sickly sweet, much like most of the food that’s popular now. Bucky’s grinning into a mouthful of Pop Tart, trying not to let crumbs fall everywhere.

30\. E.T. (The Extra Terrestrial)

It’s a movie about an alien, released in 1982. Towards the end of the movie, when ET’s getting ready to go home, Bucky shifts almost imperceptibly. Steve only notices because now he can feel their shoulders brushing just barely, Bucky’s eyes still glued to the small screen of Steve’s television. Steve nudges him slightly, and Bucky turns to scowl, only further encouraging the wide grin that’s spread over the blond’s face. It’s a lot like the way things were before it all—before war and sleeping through decades and being enemies and being terrified.

172\. Nutella

Bucky’s pink tongue peeks out to swipe a smudge of the hazelnut spread from the corner of his mouth, and Steve tries _really_ hard not to stare. He fails pretty badly. They’d gotten a jar of Nutella during one of Steve’s biweekly grocery runs, for once successfully convincing his best friend to accompany him. Now they’re sitting at Steve’s—really it’s both of theirs at this point, with Bucky integrated into modern life for the most part and having the Avengers’ trust—kitchen table, in the apartment, each of them trying Nutella on various foods. They’d started with crackers and bread, moved through apples, bananas, and pretzels, had even tried potato chips. Now they’re just spooning the chocolate delicacy up and eating it without any sort of vessel.

27\. iPod

Steve downloads a number of different songs, all recommendations spanning different decades from Sam, Natasha, Clint, Tony, and Bruce. Thor hadn’t really been much of a contributor, not that Steve’s complaining. He doesn’t understand how such a small device can hold so much music and information, but he’s sure he could have Stark explain it if he really wanted to find out. He finds that Bucky and him both enjoy the early Beatles stuff more than the weird screeching of the 1980s, but he likes the sultry growls of Fleetwood Mac’s lead singer, while Buck is captivated by the psychedelic vocalizations of David Bowie. It’s a learning experience for both of them, but the weird music helps put nightmares at rest for a while.


End file.
